Classic Corvettes New Home at the Pierce-Arrow Museum (photos)
The Buffalo Transportation Pierce-Arrow Museum just became the new home to four special Corvettes valued at $6.3 million dollars. Click along to take a look and see more about this top class transportation museum.
1. Buffalo Transportation Pierce-Arrow Museum
If you are in Upstate New York, or anywhere in the north eastern part of the country, you really ought to set aside a day to visit the Buffalo Transportation Pierce-Arrow Museum. Originally started to celebrate the Pierce-Arrow, a world class luxury car manufactured in Buffalo, N.Y., it now features cars from all makes, bicycles, and many other exhibits. You can find out more on the museum's website.
2. Frank Lloyd Wright's Filling Station
One of the biggest jewels in this Buffalo museum's crown is a filling station designed by Frank Lloyd Wright in 1927. Originally intended for the corner of Michigan Avenue and Cherry Street in downtown Buffalo, the station was never built. In 2002, the plan was hatched and architects traveled to the Wright archives to study drawing and plans. Possibly the most unique feature of the station was the fuel was stored overhead and dispensed through hanging pumps.
3. Mike Yager - Chief Cheerleader
Mike Yager and the Yager family, of aftermarket Corvette supply company Mid America Motorworks, have recently donated a few rare vehicles to the museum in Buffalo, New York. If you don't know those names you haven't been into Corvettes very long, as he has been an authority on them since the 1970s. These cars are the first Corvettes to become part of the Buffalo museum's permanent collection with the group donation coming after James Sandoro, the museum founder, was asked to appraise a car for Yager. The donation of these cars is the largest ever received by the Buffalo Transportation Pierce-Arrow Museum.
Let's take a look at their new Corvettes.
4. 1964 New York World's Fair Display Car
The so called "Mitchell Styling" Corvette above was modified by GM's Tech Center for display at the 1964 New York World's Fair. The changes that were made to the car include improved fuel injection, larger side exhaust, a bigger front grille, sport side-view mirrors, and a hood that had been cut to make way for the better flowing fuel injection intake. That beautiful and deep paint job comes courtesy of 15 coats of candy apple red lacquer paint laid onto the Vette.
5. 1964 "Bunkie" Styling Car
This Corvette was made for Chevrolet general manager Sermon E. "Bunkie" Knudsen. The coupe comes sporting Cadillac Fire Frost Blue paint, a special hood, larger cast grille and custom side pipes. On the interior side, there are white leather bucket seats, a telescoping steering wheel, and thicker carpeting taken from the Cadillac division.
6. 1969 L-88 Elliot Forbes-Robinson #8 SCCA Racer
This vehicle has the distinction of being just one of six factory built special lightweight Vettes that were powered by an L-88 V8. The Stingray convertible racecar won 46 of 49 starts, and went on to win the SCCA Production Championship in 1978, against much newer cars with Elliot Forbes-Robinson driving. The car also has the distinction of hitting 200 mph at Daytona Speedway using a motor built by the Tonawanda engine plant.
7. 1962 Frank Dominianni #69 SCCA Racer
Rocking red with yellow accents this Corvette "tanker" was raced to an SCCA B Production Championship in 1964, driven by Long Island New York native Frank Dominianni. Underneath the skin, the car has a 327-cubic inch fuel injected V8, big aggressive brakes, and a special 4-speed transmission. The car also retains its original fabricated race mods that include the rollbar, exhaust system, and oil cooler.
To see the cars for yourself just click here for more info on the museum's website.
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